India's Jaishankar meets Bangladesh high commissioner after a year

Nearly a year after assuming his post in New Delhi, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah has met Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar for a courtesy visit.

Both shared news of the meeting on the microblogging site X, posting photographs from the encounter on Friday.

Jaishankar wrote: “Met with High Commissioner Hamidullah Riaz of Bangladesh. Our conversation was focused on advancing our bilateral ties.”

Hamidullah posted, “Privileged to pay Courtesy Call on to [Indian external affairs minister] and affirmed Bangladesh's readiness to walk | work with India, together, in shared interests and for shared benefits.”

Hamidullah had joined the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi in April 2025 under the interim government.

Since then, he had not met the Indian foreign minister in a formal courtesy capacity.

His only prior interaction at that level had been with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Tensions between Delhi and Dhaka had surfaced following the interim government’s assumption of office after the July Uprising.

Mutual accusations and public protests led to reciprocal diplomatic summons.

India had maintained that it would engage with the government in Dhaka that came to power through elections, rather than the interim administration.

Relations began to show signs of improvement later.

In late January, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended condolences on the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and expressed a willingness to work together.

Jaishankar subsequently visited Dhaka and met political leaders, including Tarique Rahman.

Following the national elections and the swearing-in of Bangladesh’s new government on Feb 17, India sent Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for the inauguration.